Success Advice
How Can I Stay Organized When I Have Too Much on My Plate? Here’s How:

Being overwhelmed when faced with a seemingly endless to-do list is all too familiar to most of us. The fast pace of life and the overall lack of time takes a toll on our wellbeing, making us stressed and anxious too often. However, there are ways to cope with this situation. And one of the most important ways is organization. Admittedly, it may sound like a cliche, but it really is true. Therefore, if you are interested to learn how to stay organized when you have too much on your plate, you are in the right place.
Here are 5 simple steps to staying organized no matter what:
1. Make a to-do list
I know we have mentioned endless to-do lists, but the most significant issue many people have is that they don’t write down everything they need to do in a day, week, or even month. By putting all the tasks on a piece of paper, it will make it seem more manageable. When you keep repeating all your obligations in your head, you quickly get inundated. But once you see them neatly written down, the feeling will go away.
Not to mention the satisfaction that you will instantly feel after you cross some points off the list. It will also boost your motivation to keep going. And another thing, write everything down, even eating. Also, if possible, try to predict how much time each task requires. In the end, you will reduce the amount of empty, wasted time to a minimum.
“For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” – Benjamin Franklin
2. Smaller chunks are less intimidating
If you have a massive project ahead of you or something big you need to accomplish, rather than putting that one point on the list, break it into smaller bits. List all the steps you will have to take to finish that project. It will make the whole thing less daunting and more manageable. It will also serve as a sort of a plan on how to go about that huge thing you need to do. So, in the end, it will also help you keep track of what you have done and what the next step is. You will easily monitor your progress, which will make the end result seem more tangible.
3. Set deadlines
If there is no external authority that sets deadlines for you to meet, it’s advisable to set them yourself. It’s easy to get into the trap of postponing your obligations and then finding yourself in an even greater mess. Procrastination is one of the most vicious enemies of organizing. To beat it, you will have to arm yourself with quite a lot of discipline. But if you persevere, it will get easier and become a good habit. Also, it may be a good idea to set reminders in your calendar. Several alerts that will go off periodically as you approach each deadline will ensure you don’t forget anything.
4. Prioritizing is the key
Prioritizing is probably the hardest thing for everyone to learn how to do. However, it is necessary to determine what is a must and what can wait. The smart idea is to create a table and organize all your obligations into four categories:
- Important and urgent
- Important but not urgent
- Not important and not urgent
- Not important but urgent.
So, naturally, the first tasks you should do will be the urgent and important ones, the short-term tasks. Long-term tasks, i.e., the not urgent ones, you can leave for later. Finally, if you have that option, delegate the urgent but not important tasks.
5. Take care of yourself
You might think this has nothing to do with staying organized when you have too much on your plate, but you would be mistaken. It’s vital to take some rest and allow your brain to reset and function properly. If you are exhausted, haven’t had enough sleep, eaten well, aren’t hydrated, or haven’t done any physical activity for an extended period of time, you will have difficulty remembering things and focusing.
Therefore, if you start feeling overwhelmed, take a break. Do something you enjoy. Even simple activities like going for a walk or listening to some music can do the trick. After you have devoted a bit of time to yourself only, you will have more energy, and things will not look so bleak.
“A good system shortens the road to the goal.” – Orison Swett Marden
One of the reasons why it’s essential to stay organized when you have too much on your plate is that it will help you protect your sanity. When the list of things to do keeps piling up, and you have found yourself buried in work, you will first start feeling inundated. It can lead to the inability to sleep, waking up frequently, recollecting your tomorrow’s schedule, and stressing out about it. The lack of sleep will consequently make you feel too tired to be productive. And, thus, begins the vicious circle.
Ultimately, you will end up so stressed that you will start struggling to balance other aspects of your life. Your relationships and social life will suffer the hardest blow. Finally, under so much pressure and suffering from extreme exhaustion, the quantity of the work you do will take precedence over the quality. But, if you step up your organizing game, you will quickly get back on the right track to success.
Success Advice
Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)
The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)
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Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)
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The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025
Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
-
Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
-
Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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